Intel will cut how much it charges for 533MHz frontside bus Pentium 4 processors by up to 30 per cent on 11 May, ahead of the introduction of 800MHz FSB equivalents ten days later, the company has told its distributors.

The new pricing structure, according to X-bit Labs, will see the 2.8GHz P4 fall in price from $375 to $262, a fall of 30 per cent. The 2.6GHz part falls from $241 to $193 (19.9 per cent) and the 2.4GHz part from $193 to $163 (15.5 per cent). The 3.06GHz P4 will stay at $401.

The move knocks the chips' prices down to below the introductory prices of the 800MHz FSB parts. They will be launched on 21 May, the report claims, with the 2.8GHz P4C coming in at $278, the 2.6GHz P4 at $218 and the 2.4GHz P4C at $178. The 'C' indicates 800MHz bus support when there's already a 533MHz FSB chip at that clock speed, we understand. The 800MHz FSB parts also support HyperThreading.

All this paves the way for the arrival of the 3.2GHz P4 at the end of the quarter, X-bit Labs believes, for $637.

In addition, Intel will cut the prices of its Celeron range on 27 April. The parts affected are the 1.8GHz to 2.4GHz chips, falling by up to 23.9 per cent. The 2.4GHz chip will fall from $127 to $103, a reduction of 18.9 per cent. The 2.3GHz part will fall from $117 to $89 (23.9 per cent), the 2.2GHz chip from $103 to $81 (21.4 per cent), the 2.1GHz part from $89 to $79 (11.2 per cent), the 2GHz Celeron from $83 to $69 (16.9 per cent) and the 1.8GHz chip from $69 to $64 (7.2 per cent). The 1.7GHz part will remain at $54. ®